Composite projectile for hunting game



May 12, 1964 R. RAPPL ETAL MOA @M JS/J a D m W0 as u Mw B Mm w 3,132,591 COMPOSITE PROIECTILE FOR HUNTING GAME Reinhold Rapp, Stadeln, near Furth, Bavaria, and Hans Stadler, Nurnberg, Germany, assgnors to Dynamit Nobel, A.G., Troisdorf, Bezirk Cologne, Germany, a German corporation Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,498 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 31, 1959 5 Claims. (Cl. 102-91) rPhe present invention relates to a composite projectile and more particularly to a special projectile for use in cartridges for the hunting of game of all types.

vDepending upon the particular construction, known hunting shells or cartridges posses the property of totally or partially distinegrating or breaking up the animal after the animal has been shot. ln connection with the H-jacket shell type construction, for example, a groove is defined in the projectile body so as to form a cylindrical penetrating shot Ifor effectively bringing down the hunted game. However, Lin certain cases, unfortunately, an open channel is not formed in fthe animal body nor does the projectile emergefrom the Wounded It is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing disadvantages and to provide a composite projectile specially adapted for hunting game having both a hard projectile mass vand a soft projectile mass there- `ther and further objects of the invention will become apparent from :a study of the within specification and the accompanying drawing in which 'Ihe ligure illustrates a cross-sectional view of a composite projectile in accordance with the present invention.

It has been found, in accordance with the present invention, that an elfective composite projectile may be provided for hunting game, which comprises Ia hard projectile mass having a hard jacket therefor and a soft projectile mass having -a separate jacket therefor. 'I'he hard jacket is provided with a soiiter forward extension portion at one end enclosing partially the soft projectile mass and its separate jacket, the remainder of the soft projectile mass extending past the end of said softer forward extension portion so as .to form the composite projectile tip.

The composite projectile tip is preferably provided with an outwardly diverging conical recess, the apex angle of the conical portion of which may vary within fairly wide I'limi-ts. Morevover, the end of the soft projectile mass enclosed partially the softer forward extension portion remote from the projectile tip is desirably frusto-conically shaped. By providing the conical recess in the composite projectile ltip, a controllable d-isintegration of the projectile may be attained depending upon the angle of the conical recess. It will be appreciated that as this angle changes the projectile disintegration will occur earlier or later as the same passes through the animal body.

By dint of the particular construction of the composite projectile, a form is achieved wherein such projectile or bullet is capable of compression, facilitating the passage of the same through the barrel of the hunting weapon employed, considering the dimensional tolerances of the bore passage of such hunting Weapon. Advantageously, the construction in accordance with the present invention permits the desired disintegration of one projectile mass in the lanimal body, yet guarantees an exit opening due to the presence of a sufficiently strong piercing body. rIlhus, it is seen that the soft projectile mass Ahaving the conical recess therein will distinegrate as desired while the hard projectile mass will cause the channel to be formed through the animal body and will also guarantee an exit opening in the animal hide.

United States Patent O ICC Referring to the drawing, the figure illustrates a composite projectile for use in shells, bullets, cartridges, and the like, especially for hunting purposes, having a hard lead projectile mass or plug 3 enclosed -within a hard steel elongated jacket 1, said jacket being provided with a softer steel forward extension approximately along the distance 2. The softer forward extension portion is achieved by inductive heat treatment, such as by heat tempering the forward portion of jacket 1. As a result, a soft, elastic, flexible Zone is attained, having the advantageous properties desired in accordance with the instant construction. A soft lead projectile mass or elongated plug 5 is enclosed -within a soft copper jacket 4. The rearward end of such plug 5 is disposed in abutting engagement with the correspondingly situated portion of the hard plug 3, said plug 5 being partially enclosed within the softer forward extension 2 of jacket 1. The remainder of the soft lead plug 5, extending past the forward end of extension portion 2, is inwardly directed so Ias to form the tip of the composite projectile. Such tip portion is provided with an outwardly diverging conical recess 6 having the angle a. It will :be appreciated that, in accordance with the present invention, this angle may be adjusted within wide limits, for instance, so -as to form a conical recess 6' having an angle a depending upon the timing and extent to which the soft lead plug 5 is to be dist-integrated the animal body. `O-f course, the hard plug 3 will be sufficient to guarantee a piercing of the animal hide and a channeling through the animal body.

The hard lead plug 3 may be formed of any lead alloy contributing the 'desire-d characteristics required for channeling and piercing the while the soft lead plug 5 may carry a soft copper jacket having particularly high expansion characteristics. Advantageously, the rearward portion of soft lead plug 5 is slightly frusto-conically shaped in order to transverse reiforcement which might otherwise decrease the desired disintegration or breaking-up of this particular mass of the composite porjectile.

Naturally, the particular type of game to be shot, the projectile velocity, the projectile weight, the disintegration propensity of the projectile and therewith the effect in the -animals body are specifically influenced, in accordance with applicants construction, by the presence of the conical recess in the composite projectile tip as well as the outwardly diverging angle of such recess. If desired, the rearrnost portion of the composite projectileie., the rearmost portion of hard lead plug 3-may be similarly frusto-conically shaped in the manner of the preferred shaping of the rearmost portion of soft lead plug 5.

We claim:

1. Composite projectile comprising a rearward hard projectile mass having a ihard jacket therefor and a separate forward soft projectile mass having a separate soft jacket therefor, said hard jacket having a soft forward extension portion at one end, enclosing partially the rea-rward portion of said soft projectile mass and its separate jacket, the remainder of said soft projectile mass and its separate jacket extending past the end of said soft forward lextension portion to form the composite projectile tip.

2. Projectile `according to claim 1 wherein said composite projectile 'tip Iis integral and provided with an outwardly diverging conical recess.

3. Projectile according to cla-im 2 wherein the end of said soft projectile mass enclosed partially said soft forward extension portion remote lfrom said tip is inverte-dly frusto-conically shaped.

4. Composite projectile comprising a softer forward projectile mass and -a harder rearward projectile mass, said :forward projectile being enclosed within a softer jacket and said rearward projectile being enclosed within a harder jacket, said projectiles being descrete with respect to one another, said harder jacket having a softer forward extension portion `at one end thereof, enclosing partially the rearward portion of said forward projectile and the rearward portion of said softer jacket, the forward portion of said rearward projectile being disposed within said forward extension portion in abutment With the rearward portion of said softer jacket, the forward portion of said forward projectile forming the composite projectile tip.

5. Composite projectile for hunting game comprising an elongated hard steel outer jacket pontion containing a hard lead projectile mass therewithin, an elongated, copper jacket enclosed soft lead projectile means having a rear portion and a front portion, said projectiles being discrete with yrespect to one another, said hard steel outer jacket portion having a forward extension portion of heattreated steel which is softer th-an the remaining hard steel outer jacket portion, said forward extension portion partially enclosing said elongated, copper jacket enclosed soft lead project-ile mass with the rear portion of said copper jacket enclosed lead projectile mass abutting said hard lead projectile mass, lthe remainder of said elongated, copper jacket enclosed soft lead projectile mass extending past the end of said forward extension pontion, the front portion of said enclosed soft lead projectile mass forming the tip of fthe composite projectile mass, said tip being integral land provided with an outwardly divergfing conical recess.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No', 3,132,591

mayY 12, 1964 Reinhold Rapp et al,

Tt is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat'- ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

column 2, column 3, 4, line 16, for

Ine 17,

"Jano 24,

line 27, for "distntegratedn read disintegrated for "means" read mass eg column Signed andssealed this 27th day of October 1964,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W, SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT oEETCE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No; 3,132,591 l May 12 1964 Reinhold Rapp et alo lt is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent reqlrng correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column lY line l5q for "posses":read--- possess ne; Column 2, line 27i for distintegrated read disintegrated -a column 3q line 17V for "means" read mass a5 column 4, Tine 16 for "Jan. 24 1934" read July 24'1934 Signed andsealed this 27th day of October 1964o (SEAL) lttest:

ERNEST W; SWIDER DWARD J. BRENNER Aitesting Officer Commissioner of Patents UNITED STATES PATENT oEETCE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent N0; 3, l3259l May l2 1964 Reinhold Rapp et alq It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column ls line l5 for "possesnxread m possess mm Column 2Y line 27Xz for "distintegrated" read disintegrated Column 3v line l7 for "meansI read mass m5 column lY line 16MI for "Jano 24V 1934"" read July 249 l934 Signed and ,sealed this 27th day of October 1964o SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W; SWIDER EDWARD J BRENNER diesting @ffieer Commissioner of Patents 

1. COMPOSITE PROJECTILE COMPRISING A REARWARD HARD PROJECTILE MASS HAVING A HARD JACKET THEREFOR AND A SEPARATE FORWARD SOFT PROJECTILE MASS HAVING A SEPARATE SOFT JACKET THEREFOR, SAID HARD JACKET HAVING A SOFT FORWARD EXTENSION PORTION AT ONE END, ENCLOSING PARTIALLY THE REARWARD PORTION OF SAID SOFT PROJECTILE MASS AND ITS SEPARATE JACKET, THE REMAINDER OF SAID SOFT PROJECTILE MASS AND ITS SEPARATE JACKET EXTENDING PAST THE END OF SAID SOFT FORWARD EXTENSION PORTION TO FORM THE COMPOSITE PROJECTILE TIP. 